Echoes of the Heart
by Rain Winter
Summary: When a young heart is shattered, another must take its place. Nopony would have thought that a best friend could turn into something more...


_Prologue_

Spike wiped the tears from his warm, scaled cheeks as he lied peacefully within the confining branches of the lone standing tree on the outskirts of Ponyville, which signaled the beginning of the vast open plain beyond. A gentle breeze blew through the plain, making the grass sway ever so smoothly and the leaves rustle against one another.

Though everything around him was peaceful, serene even, he could nod hold back the pain that was within his ravaged heart. Deep within his chest, he felt like somepony had shattered his heart into little tiny pieces, mended it back together, then drove an icy sword straight through the center. A few whimpers escaped his lips as he felt the pain only increase as his memories of early came flooding back.

_Spike stood all alone at the bottom of the stairs inside of the Carousel Boutique. Being a dragon meant that he had good hearing, so while he sat on the bottom step he listened to the conversation that Rarity, the only mare that had ever captured his heart, was having with her younger sister Sweetie Belle. "Why, no, of course not Sweetie. Spike is a great friend, to think of him as anything more is unthinkable. He is only a 'baby dragon' after all, and he is far too young for me."_

_ 'A 'baby dragon'', he thought. Though many ponies did not know it, he was only maybe four years younger than Rarity herself. Due to the fact that he was a dragon he lived for the same length as an Alicorn would. As far as pony standards, he was a full grown gentlecolt, but as far as dragons were concerned, he was still only a baby, just entering his childhood._

_ Without a backwards glance he bolted across the room and out the front of the Boutique, not caring that he left the door wide open. Tears streamed down his face as he ran and ran, not stopping to talk to anyone, save for Fluttershy when she stopped him for a brief moment. Though he spoke between sobs, she was still able to tell what had happened._

Tears of sorrow fell from his eyes, rolling down his cheeks if only to fall to the distant grass below. In his chest he felt nothing more than the slow and steady beating of a broken heart, causing him ti whimper once more. For over two years he had been in love with Rarity, the only mare to every truly catch both his eye and heart, yet she thought nothing of it. It was as if fate was trying to play some sort of cruel joke on him.

Despite the fact that he knew what he was feeling was real, that what had transpired early did truly happen, he knew that he was going to have to move on. Letting go of Rarity was harder than he had ever thought possible, for she was all he had ever thought about. Not a day went by that she was not the first thing on his mind.

Letting go of the mare that he had loved for so long was not as daunting a task as he had thought it would be, but with his broken heart it was rather easy to do. This did nothing to ease the pain that he was feeling however, and now more than ever he wished that he had a friend to comfort him in his time of need.

Looking up towards the sky, he was amazed at seeing that he was being graced with the presence of the setting sun. His eyes watched as the sun began to take a plunge behind the distant horizon, kissing the world goodbye. A beautiful painting was made, the sky turning a delightful shade of rich orange while the few clouds that were out were painted a beautiful hue of dark purple. Upon a closer look of the evening sky, he swore that he could see streaks of gold plastered against the orange, interlaced with a wonderful shade of light amethyst.

Watching the setting sun, his heart began to realize what his mind was already starting to say. True his tears of woe were going to continue for a while longer, but that did not mean that he shouldn't try to fine somepony else. Thinking of a specific quote from a book he had read, he whispered, "Today, the sun sets on your past, but tomorrow the sun will rise on your future. Dwelling on what was will never allow you to focus on the now."

A slight smile crossed his lips as his eyes drifted back down towards the grass, swaying ever so gently in the soothing breeze.

Even though Spike had his eyes set on the grassy plain, he was not unaware when the soft clopping of hooves against loose soil reverberated in his ears. A deep aroma of vanilla, woven together with the nose tingling scent of crushed blue-berries quickly wafted into his nose. Just by the wonderful aroma that tickled his nose, the very scent that he knew all too well and always loved to smell, told him that the one person that he wanted to see had heard his quiet pleas.

Clearing her throat, the mare asked, "Spike, are you alright?" Her voice was soothing, soft, caring even. Never in all of his life would he ever expect to hear this mare ever raise her voice to him, it was too sweet, too caring to do any such thing. "Spike, please talk to me. Fluttershy told me what happened with Rarity today."

A very dim grin crossed his lips as he slowly turned to face her. An elegant Alicorn with majestic lavender colored fur, mixed with a pristine flowing dark indigo mane. Running down her mane and tail were two highlights, one pink while the other was purple, together they helped to make her amethyst purple eyes pop out.

Her eyes was the feature that he could not tear away from, for her eyes showed a burning desire to see him happy once more, but also a burning desire to protect him, to nurture him, to love him. Folding her wings against her side, the Alicorn never broke eye contact as she lied down against the base of the tree, continuing to watch him. "Twilight."

No other words left his mouth, rather more tears came to his eyes as he finally came to his senses. Being careful to not break any branches as he did so, Spike began to climb down from the tree while at the same time he tried to end his tears.

Twilight looked at Spike more closely as he came to stand before her, looking at her as she did him. She could see the bags under his eyes from the tears that he had shed as were still shedding. No amount of books she had read, nor any lessons with Princess Celestia, could have ever prepared her for this. A feeling of helplessness overtook her without warning, making tears come to her eyes while she looked away from him.

Confused, Spike walked over to lie beside Twilight, running a single talon down her back as he said, "Twilight, there is no reason for you to cry. You did not know what she was going to say."

Spike rested his head against her own, soaking her fur with his tears. She paid them no mind however as she whispered softly, "I am so sorry Spike. I feel so helpless right now. I do not know what you are going through, so I can never truly understand your pain. I wish that there was something that I could do to ease..."

She was surprised to find a talon pressed softly against her lips, silencing her. "Twilight, all you have to do is be a friend. Just by you being here I feel slightly better. You are after all my only life friend, yet you are still my best friend." She giggled slightly as the talon stroking her back moved over slightly to brush her spine, sending shudders throughout her body. "Twilight, how did a drake such as myself get hatched by such a wonderful friend like you?"

A slight smile crossed her lips as she jokingly said, "Well, you have Rainbow Dash to thank for that." Much to her delight, a light chuckle left him. "I guess it was fate Spike, destiny brought us together. I have to admit though, I would never trade you for anyone."

Though she would never admit it to anyone, Twilight had grown to love the drake over the years, more than a friend at least. She could see them growing old together, having a breed of pony that was half dragon together, and just overly happy with one another. It broke her heart to see him in such a state, but it also gave her strength, for her love for him was stronger than his own love for Rarity had ever been.

Seizing the initiative, she leaned over to give Spike a quick peck on his cheek, making a blush cross her lavender cheeks as she looked away. Spike was taken back by her sudden display of affection, but it was not at all unwelcome. Rather, it gave him his own blush as he too looked away towards the distant sky, though his talon continued to run down her spine.

A heavy sigh escaped Spike's lips, and with it a great burden seemed to be lifted off of both his heart and shoulders. _A mare or dragoness like Rarity is not who I am destined to be with, nor do I want to. I want somepony or dragoness that is like Twilight, fun, loving, caring, honest, and above all else, loyal. Twilight, as I look at her now she seems even more beautiful than when we were younger. I wish so much that she was not my best friend, for if she was not, then she would be the one for me._

Seemingly of their own accord, Spike found his eyes drifting back towards Twilight. In his mind he knew that what he was starting to realize was wrong, he could not help but notice just how delightfully beautiful Twilight truly was.

The orange from the setting sun seemed to bathe her in a golden light, with the wind making her mane ripple down her neck, while her fur began to sway just like the grass. When she turned to look at him, he could see the raging sea of love that nestled up against the fire of passion that burned deeper within, surrounded by a flaring cloud of pain to see him in such a state.

Without a single shred of doubt, he realized that Twilight was the most precious jewel to him, the most special mare in all of Equestria. She was in a word, an angel. The most elegant angel sent from the high heavens above, a beautiful angel that he knew would always be there for him...


End file.
